PRICE MOVEMENTS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 34, 3 November 1933, Page 13

PRICE MOVEMENTS

Upward Trend in Exports

RETAIL TENDENCIES

The index number of export prices for the month of September, 1933, shows a slight increase (4 points) over the. August figure, reports the Government Statistician in the latest “Abstract of Statistics.” ...The. ipdex number for all pastoral and dairy produce lias increased by 1 point since August, an increase in the dairy produce group index being almost counteracted by a fall in the meat group, the price index for wool remaining the same as in August. Export prices have shown rm upward tendency since May', the index number fol* all groups having advanced by 17.3 per cent, since that month, each monthly figure bei.ng somewhat higher Ilian the index for tlie previous month. Export prices are still, however, below 1914 levels, tho pastoral and dairy produce index for August being 16.1 per cent, below the 1914 figure, while tho all-groups index is 12.9 per cent, below the 1914 level.

Wholesale prices continue to fall slowly, the September index for all commodities being 8 points or 0.6 per cent, below the August figure. In September locally produced items included in tlie -wholesale price series, were, on the average, 15.1 her cent.'above 1914 prices, tho corresponding increase in the case of imported items being 38.5 per cent.

Retail prices of food advanced slightly in September as compared witli August, decreases in,the index numbers of groceries and dairy products being more than counteracted by a rise in the index for the meat group. The combined index for the three food groups increased by 0.9 per cent, since August and 6.3 per cent, over the 1914 index. The index number for all groups of commodities rose by 2 points since August to a level 27.1 per cent, above 1914 prices. ' The September all groups index is a combination of the September food and fuel and light index numbers with the August figures for other groups.

Share prices continued to maintain the upward tendency manifest during the past twelve months. The index number of share prices on the last trading day in September was 2.7 per cent, above the August, figure and 11,5 per cent, below the average index for the year 1026. .